A BA or MA graduate awaiting Certification must

• A. Identifying themselves as a graduate obtaining experience prior to certification before performing any client tasks
• B. Identify themselves as a graduate obtaining experience prior to certification before performing any task with a client
• C. Obtain immediate licensure
• D. Not work with clients until certification

Answer: (B)

The key idea here is transparency about trainee status and the need for supervised experience before working with clients. A BA or MA graduate who has not yet obtained certification is not licensed to practice independently, so ethical guidelines require that they clearly identify themselves as a graduate obtaining experience prior to certification and that this disclosure happens before they engage with any client. This protects clients by making sure they know the clinician is in training and that all work with clients is under supervision and within the scope allowed for a trainee.

This is why identifying themselves before any interaction with a client is the best choice: it ensures clients are aware of the trainee status and the supervisory context from the start. The other options either imply licensure is already obtained, or unnecessarily restrict practice, or omit the essential pre-contact disclosure that safeguards client understanding and consent.